Quality Parks and Open Spaces  Green spaces are key to our health and happinessGovernment believes profoundly that the state of the local environment affects and reflects the well-being of the people living there. Whether it is the town centre, local park or the street on which we live, it is important that they add to the quality of life and that they are safe and attractive places. This part of the website is about green spaces - the range of places that, taken together, contribute so much to our health and happiness, and to our aim of creating sustainable communities. Whether it is our proud tradition of municipal parks and gardens, semi-natural green spaces like woodlands or recreational space around housing, green spaces provide amenity, pleasure and value to where we live. Local parks lift local spirits as well as local economies just as ‘Britain in Bloom’ brings pleasure as well as pride. Because we see so many possibilities, the Government has focussed over the last five years on reversing the historic decline of green spaces. Further decline is no longer inevitable. The result has been not only noticeable change, but greater satisfaction as local people increasingly enjoy and use revitalised parks or nature reserves. This is also reflected in a welcome increase in the number of green spaces achieving the Green Flag Award standard. Our challenge now is to spread the benefits more widely and reach every community and every type of green space. |
